Chapter 62 Descending the Mountain
The next day, Chu Jianshan almost couldn't get up. He was coaxed and tricked by Cheng Yuan into sitting up in bed, but his mind was still blank and his eyes were vacant. He didn't move again for a long time.
Cheng Yuan suppressed a laugh as she looked at him, but couldn't resist giving him a kiss on the lips.
Chu Jianshan had just woken up in the morning and was still half asleep. He couldn't help but yawn, his voice soft and weak, his eyes welling up with tears. He frowned at Cheng Yuan and asked, "Why did you kiss me?"
Cheng Yuan said, "It's getting late, Master, we need to hurry."
Chu Jianshan nodded slowly, then began to regret his recklessness last night. He should have waited until he got back before doing this. Now it was too late to cry.
Cheng Yuan was busy packing his things, while Chu Jianshan sat in front of him, struggling with his frizzy hair with a comb. He couldn't figure out where the hair was tangled.
After trying for a long time without success, Chu Jianshan got so angry that he threw the comb away and thought he might as well just pick up the scissors and cut it off.
Fortunately, Cheng Yuan came over in time, picked up the comb from the ground, and somehow produced some osmanthus oil. He dipped the comb in the oil and gently combed out the knots.
Osmanthus oil is mostly used by young women, so Chu Jianshan immediately sensed something was wrong. She squinted at him in the mirror and questioned, "Where did you get this?"
Cheng Yuan chuckled: "What did Master ask?"
Chu Jianshan glared at him: "You know what I'm asking."
Cheng Yuan calmly combed Chu Jianshan's hair, put on the hairpin, looked at Chu Jianshan's almost perfect face in the mirror, and explained, "Don't worry, Master, it wasn't given to me by any girl. I bought this for you a long time ago, but I just haven't had a chance to use it yet."
Chu Jianshan said awkwardly, "I'm not used to this thing."
Cheng Yuan smiled and said, "From now on, I will be the one to tie up Master's hair."
Outside the window, the rustling of bamboo continued intermittently. The sky was still somewhat overcast, and the morning light never shone into the courtyard. Cheng Yuan, who was not usually superstitious, suddenly felt that this was not a good omen and began to nag Chu Jianshan, who was not fully awake.
"Master, you must not act recklessly when you arrive at the destination. If you can retreat, then retreat."
"Hmm..." Chu Jianshan nodded with his eyes closed.
"Be very careful, don't fall into Linyimen's trap."
"Know."
"If it is unsuccessful, return immediately."
"I understand~ Don't worry." Chu Jianshan patted the hand on his shoulder, signaling him to relax, but Cheng Yuan still frowned and remained silent with his eyes downcast.
Chu Jianshan stood up, put his arms around his neck, and rested his head on his shoulder. This position allowed him to feel all of him. Their body temperatures intertwined. Cheng Yuan hugged his waist and pressed him even deeper, inhaling his scent.
Cheng Yuan sighed softly, "I don't know why I'm so anxious, but I'm really terrified."
Chu Jianshan patted his back reassuringly: "It's okay, I can definitely protect myself, trust me."
Cheng Yuan nodded: "Okay, I believe in Master."
Half an hour later.
The two did not make a sound to those around them, and quietly led their guards down the mountain. After traveling for a day, they arrived at an inn at night, still some distance from the Shaoxuan Sect.
Chu Jianshan spread out the blankets, then turned and saw the man slumped in the chair. He was immediately furious, kicked the man in the shin, and cursed, "You don't even know how to come and help me."
The man shrugged: "You're the one who sent me here, so you should at least show some respect when you're asking for something, right?"
Chu Jianshan gave a forced smile: "Bai Qianfan, do you believe I'll throw you out the window?"
Bai Qianfan pouted, finally moved her body to help him pack his bags, and then asked him, "You said you had already decided on Cheng Yuan, so why did you switch me halfway through? I've had to put up with your temper the whole way."
Chu Jianshan sighed: "Because I've figured something out."
Bai Qianfan asked, "What?"
Chu Jianshan said, "Linyi Gate is using a diversionary tactic."
Bai Qianfan frowned slightly: "Didn't you already consider this matter before? Changjinshan has also taken precautions, so they can't do anything to us for the time being."
Chu Jianshan sat down, poured himself a glass of water, and guessed, "But what if Linyimen's target isn't Changjin Mountain at all?"
Bai Qianfan finally sat up straight and became serious: "Explain in detail."
Chu Jianshan finished his tea and continued, "I've been wondering before, the Linyi Sect has been besieging the Shaoxuan Sect for so long, yet they've only been guarding the outer perimeter and haven't broken in. They're not restricting the movement of people in and out, so it doesn't seem like they want them to starve to death. What's the point of this stalemate?"
Bai Qianfan understood and tentatively asked, "Are you waiting for someone?"
Chu Jianshan nodded: "They've probably been waiting for us. I only realized it last night. They had already guessed that I would suggest sending Cheng Yuan over. They want to take this opportunity to bring Cheng Yuan back. They will never give up on that damned secret technique of Linyi Sect."
Bai Qianfan clicked his tongue twice, sat on the edge of the bed, propped himself up with his hands and leaned back: "With your disciple's temper, how could he agree to let you come over?"
Chu Jianshan said, "Of course he doesn't want to. He gave me a lot of instructions this morning, but unfortunately, he can't change my mind once I've made up my mind."
“However…” Bai Qianfan looked at him, still having concerns: “If I were in his place, would I be able to intimidate those people?”
Chu Jianshan smiled at him: "That's why I secretly brought you down the mountain. They don't know that it wasn't Cheng Yuan who came."
Bai Qianfan's eyes widened as he walked up to him: "Seriously, Chu Jianshan? You want me to fight with Cheng Yuan's face on my back?"
Chu Jianshan raised his eyes: "Disguise is not a difficult thing for you."
Bai Qianfan laughed in anger: "You're unwilling to let your disciple put himself in danger, but you're willing to let me impersonate him. You're really something."
"Don't worry," Chu Jianshan reassured him, "I won't let anything happen to you."
Bai Qianfan wanted to roll his eyes at him, but he inadvertently noticed the red mark on Chu Jianshan's collar. Curiosity drove him to stand up and slowly walk up to Chu Jianshan, looking him up and down with a cryptic expression.
"What... are you doing?" Chu Jianshan leaned back almost imperceptibly.
Bai Qianfan withdrew his gaze, as if he had discovered something extraordinary. He was first shocked, then shook his head, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
"I'm not saying this to be mean, but you guys are going a bit too far. Even if you miss each other after breaking up, there's no need to be in such a hurry."
Chu Jianshan kicked him in the shin again: "What do you know!"
“Yes, yes, yes,” Bai Qianfan echoed, “I don’t understand the little pleasures between you master and disciple, but you should at least restrain yourself a bit. Cheng Yuan is the same; he doesn’t know his limits.”
Chu Jianshan couldn't stand Bai Qianfan saying that about him, and immediately started to defend him: "It was my request last night, what does it have to do with him?"
Bai Qianfan, with a smug look on his face, repeated the same thing in a sarcastic tone: "It was my request last night~ What does it have to do with him~"
“They’re already protecting him now. It’s true what they say, boys grow up and leave home.” Bai Qianfan sighed and sprawled back onto the bed.
Chu Jianshan remained silent, letting him act strangely, because he didn't want to continue the topic.
"Wait!" Bai Qianfan seemed to realize something, staring intently at Chu Jianshan with a questioning expression: "You said that the plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain at Linyi Gate was something you only figured out last night, but weren't you two...?"
"I never expected this, Chu Jianshan! While they were being all lovey-dovey with you over there, you were thinking about this!"
Chu Jianshan glanced at him sideways: "Is there something wrong with that?"
Bai Qianfan pouted: "Fine, why not? But your lack of romantic understanding is really something, it must be tough on Cheng Yuan."
"You don't need to worry about our affairs," Chu Jianshan said, getting up to shoo him away. "Go back to your room and sleep."
"Huh?" Bai Qianfan looked confused. "Isn't this room mine?"
Chu Jianshan raised an eyebrow: "Who said it's yours?"
Bai Qianfan pointed at him and said, "You, you, you...! I've been tidying up for so long, and it turns out I was just doing it for you!"
Chu Jianshan shrugged: "You didn't even ask me. Hurry up and leave, don't disturb my sleep."
"Fine, I'm leaving!" Bai Qianfan stood up angrily, grabbed his bundle, and turned to Chu Jianshan, saying, "I'm not going to bother with you!"
Just before reaching the door, she turned back and shouted at Chu Jianshan, "With your delicate nature, only Cheng Yuan can put up with you!"
Chu Jianshan didn't care at all and asked in return, "Oh, so what?"
Anyway, he only wants Cheng Yuan, and it's the right of the one who is loved to be arrogant.
After Bai Qianfan left, Chu Jianshan blew out the candle and lay down. His heart was calm, but his mind was full of Cheng Yuan. It was only the first day since he left, and he couldn't help but miss him madly. He could only force himself to sleep and coax himself to see Cheng Yuan again in his dreams.
They set off early the next morning and arrived in Lingnan in less than half a day. Furong Town happened to be located at the foot of Lingnan. Chu Jianshan originally wanted to visit the old place, but he did not expect that the place had changed.
The flames of war have reached this place, and everywhere you look is devastated. The once bustling streets are now deserted, and the cold wind blows, scattering withered leaves all over the ground. Occasionally, you can see a few old women still guarding this place, walking slowly with hunched backs, but no one knows where they are going.
Seeing this, Bai Qianfan felt indignant and questioned, "If they want to fight, then fight, but why drag these innocent people into it?"
Chu Jianshan sighed, lowered his eyes, and said, "War is so ruthless. People say that the innocent should not be harmed, but when a war really breaks out, who can care about them?"
Looking at all this, he felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart. Everything was fine before they left. In the end, it was the ordinary people who suffered in the conflict between cultivation sects.
"Hey, watch out!" Chu Jianshan reacted quickly, grabbing the old woman who almost fell beside him, and asked softly, "Are you alright?"
The woman, who had been bent over, did not thank him after being helped up, nor did she even intend to look at Chu Jianshan's face. But after hearing his voice, she paused for a moment, looked up at him, and her eyes shone.
She called out incredulously, her voice trembling, "Xiao Chu?"
Upon hearing this familiar address, Chu Jianshan finally took a good look at the person's face. The vicissitudes on her face almost made him not recognize her. This was Aunt Chen, who lived next door when he lived in Furong Town.
The man who cursed Chu Jianshan for half an hour over ten coins, yet still lent him money every time, sewed him a quilt out of fear of him being cold, and stubbornly claimed that he was afraid Chu Jianshan's death would bring bad luck.
[Author's Note]
I'm back!! I'm so sorry to have kept everyone waiting for so long!! [Crying][Crying]
(Kowtowing in apology)
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